News Release Distributed 09/10/10

By LSU AgCenter Horticulturists Dan Gill, Kyle Huffstickler and Allen Owings

Louisiana wildflowers bloom through the year, except, perhaps, in the dead of winter. The spring and fall seasons, however, are when the most outstanding displays occur. The fall season of wildflowers is just getting under way and will continue through the end of November.

The major colors of the fall display are golden yellow, purple, lavender, blue and pink. Particularly noticeable are tall wildflowers. You already can see the royal purple flowers of purple ironweed towering above surrounding plants, as well as large bushes of the American beauty berry with showy clusters of red-purple berries along its stems. Other taller-growing wildflowers are goldenrods – which, by the way, do not cause hay fever – the golden-flowered, narrow-leaved sunflower and pinkish-purple Joe-pye weed.

Filling in below the taller plants are colorful wildflowers such as white, lavender and pink asters, blue mist-flower, golden-yellow sneezeweed and purple blazing-star. Lavish displays of these fall wildflowers along with many others make a feast for the eyes for those who notice.

Gardeners – who may struggle to create beautiful displays of flowers in their own landscapes – marvel at the way nature seems to achieve such beauty without effort. This may lead gardeners to wonder if they could create a similar effect in their own landscape.

Actually, you can. Fall is a great time to plant wildflower seeds that will produce a colorful display next spring and early summer.

Although the look you are trying to achieve may be spontaneous and natural, growing wildflowers requires planning. Look carefully at the growing conditions in the area where you want to plant wildflowers. You must use the varieties that will thrive under those conditions if you expect success. Note especially how much sun the area receives, the texture of the soil and whether the area tends to be damp or dry. Wildflowers can be grown in virtually every environment with proper selection.

The easiest type of wildflower garden to establish is the open-field type grown from seed. Planting seeds in fall tends to produce the best results and should be done in late October through November. Spring planting may also be done in late February, but it’s not as good as a fall planting.

Select a sunny area and eliminate existing vegetation such as aggressive grasses by hand or by using the herbicide glyphosate (Killzall, Roundup, Eraser and other brands). Wildflower seeds will not germinate well in an area with thick, established vegetation. Turn the soil with a shovel or tiller, and rake it smooth. Generally, no fertilizer or soil amendments should be added to the soil during preparation.

For a small planting, mix the wildflower seeds with sand or sandy soil and broadcast the mixture evenly by hand over the area. Make sure you use seeds or seed mixes of species that do well in our state. Provide good seed contact with the soil, if practical, by pressing the seed into the soil with a board or roller.

The seeds should be watered occasionally, especially when the weather is dry. Generally, wildflower seed mixes contain mostly annuals and perennial species that bloom the first year from seed, so you can expect a glorious display next spring and early summer. Allow the wildflowers to complete their life cycles and drop seed before you mow the area.

Each year Wildseed Farms produces a catalog. You can order one from them at P.O. Box 308, Eagle Lake, TX 77434, or online at www.wildseedfarms.com. The catalog is educational and includes an extensive offering of wildflower seeds. The information is complete enough to help even the novice grow a successful wildflower garden.

The catalog includes excellent color photographs of wildflowers, as well as photos of what the seedlings look like. This is invaluable when you’re watching for your flowers to come up and wondering if what you see growing are weeds or what you planted. You can request a complimentary catalog by calling 800-848-0078 or from the website.

A great book on wildflowers is “Landscaping with Wildflowers” by Jim Wilson, published by Houghton Mifflin Company. Gardeners interested in growing wildflower gardens will find this book an excellent and helpful reference.

Visit LaHouse in Baton Rouge to see sustainable landscape practices in action. The home and landscape resource center is near the intersection of Burbank Drive and Nicholson Drive (Louisiana Highway 30) in Baton Rouge, across the street from the LSU baseball stadium. For more information, go to www.lsuagcenter.com/lahouse and www.lsuagcenter.com/lyn.